Meet the Network Staff

Forbes Boyle, Botanist

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Terrestrial Vegetation Monitoring Lead

Active Projects:

Terrestrial Vegetation Monitoring

Education and Areas of Expertise:

BS, Wildlife Biology (major), Forestry (minor), University of Vermont
MS, Forest Resources, Clemson University
PhD, Forest Resources, Clemson University

I currently serve as the Southeast Coast Network’s Botanist and since 2018, I have led our program’s terrestrial vegetation monitoring protocol. This position suits me well, as I am above all else, a plant geek! I am particularly geeky when it comes to drawing attention to issues related to vegetation ecology to the forefront of resource management and conservation. I started my career as a post-doctoral scholar in the Plant Ecology Lab at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. My research aimed at providing effective guidance and tools for ecosystem restoration and helped improve vegetation classification models in the southeastern US. In 2011, I moved to my first permanent position with the Department of the Interior as a plant ecologist with the newly formed Inventory and Monitoring Branch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While in this position, I worked with a diversity of conservation partners to develop scientifically-driven resource monitoring approaches for implementation on Service lands. Throughout my career, I have always leaned on bringing people from all spectrums and backgrounds together to learn best how to conserve, protect, and restore species and natural ecosystems.

Elika Bozorgi, Data Intern

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Database Front End Developer

Active Projects:

SECN Estuarine Monitoring and Vegetation Monitoring Data

Education and Areas of Expertise:

(In progress) PhD, Computer Science, University of Georgia


I started my internship position at the Southeast Coast Network as database front end developer in May 2023. I provide data management support for the network data manager and protocol leads, and perform database development, management, and maintenance for new and existing databases. I work mostly in SQL, VBA, and R. I enjoy learning cutting-edge software, applications, and skills and using them in my current job.

Stephen Cooper, Physical Scientist

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Wadeable Stream Habitat Monitoring, Salt Marsh Extent Monitoring, GIS Support

Education and Areas of Expertise:

BS, Geography, University of Georgia (2015)
Certificate in Geographic Information Science, University of Georgia (2015)
MS, Geography, University of Georgia (2019)


I joined the Southeast Coast Network in 2016 as a graduate intern serving in a GIS support role. During the internship, I became heavily involved in the development of the SECN’s Wadeable Stream Habitat Monitoring Protocol. I participated in testing various methods of watershed analyses and in-situ stream surveying methods. The monitoring protocol was approved in 2018 and I have participated in every data collection effort under the protocol since its publication. I officially joined the SECN staff in 2020 as the protocol lead for Wadeable Stream Habitat Monitoring. I have a strong background in geographic information sciences, with emphasis in remote sensing and digital image analysis. Given my background, I took on the challenge to develop a remote sensing-based method for monitoring changes in the spatial extent of salt marsh at SECN coastal parks. I worked with partners at the US Geological Survey and the University of Georgia to develop a dependable monitoring protocol which will be implemented at eight SECN coastal parks.

Katherine "Katie" Dagastino, Hydrologic Technician

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Field logistics, implementation of data collection, and QA/QC for water resources in the Southeast Coast Region

Active Projects:

Estuarine Water and Sediment Quality Monitoring, assist on Wadeable Stream Channel Monitoring

Education and Areas of Expertise:

BA, Earth Science (Geology), University of Memphis

After working as a seasonal employee for the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service since 2016, I was finally able to unpack my bags when I joined the Southeast Coast Network in January 2023. My years as a seasonal have allowed me the opportunity to serve in a variety of programs such as recreation, endangered species monitoring, water quality monitoring as well as wildland firefighting. The diverseness of my duties and the ecosystems in which I have performed them has given me some of my greatest life experiences, all the while “on-duty” in our Public Lands. In my free time, you’ll most likely find me outside identifying plants, riding my bike, or backpacking.

Mallorie Davis, Biological Technician/Vegetation

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Vegetation monitoring support

Active Projects:

Terrestrial Vegetation Monitoring

Education and Areas of Expertise:

BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management, Auburn University

During the summer of 2022, I interned with the Student Conservation Association on Cumberland Island National Seashore as a sea turtle technician. Throughout the internship, I assisted with many projects outside my normal duties including trapping, acoustic bat survey, and vegetation monitoring. As my internship came to an end, I was hired as the biological technician for the SECN vegetation protocol. During our field season, I serve as a field assistant and a crew lead for collecting long-term vegetation data along the Southeast U.S. coast. Outside of field season, my responsibilities include, but are not limited to, entering and validating data, analyzing data for reports, creating maps on ArcGIS, and assisting with other protocols and projects around the SECN parks.

Mark Hynds, Editor

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Formatting and editing protocols, SOPs, data summary reports, and resource briefs (includes four other networks in the NPS SER). Publication of network newsletter.

Active Projects:

ArcGis Story Maps for Shoreline Change Monitoring and Terrestrial Vegetation Monitoring. Editing support for SECN, CUPN, SFCN, APHN and GULN.

Education and Areas of Expertise:

BS, Agricultural Economics, University of Georgia
BA, Communications, University of North Florida

I have formatted and edited protocol narratives, standard operating procedures, data summary reports, and resource briefs for all the I&M networks in the NPS SER over the last seven years. I have created and published three ArcGIS story maps highlighting the SECN's Estuarine Water Quality and Wadeable Stream programs. In addition, I have published the SECN's newsletter and several web articles on nps.gov. I have assisted the Wadeable Stream Monitoring Program with fieldwork at Congaree National Park and Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. I joined the Southeast Coast Network in 2017 as a contractor after more than a decade in the newspaper industry where I earned numerous Georgia Press Association awards for work in photography, column writing, sports and hard news reporting. I am employed with the University of Georgia's River Basin Center in the Odum School of Ecology.

Michael Parrish, Wildlife Biologist

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Project lead for landbird and vocal anuran community monitoring protocols. Collateral-duty safety coordinator.

Active Projects:

Landbird Community Monitoring; Vocal Anuran Community Monitoring

Education and Areas of Expertise:

PhD, Forest Resources, Mississippi State University
MS, Forest Resources, The University of Georgia
BS, Biology, The University of South Carolina at Columbia

I joined the Southeast Coast Network in 2019 as the network's Wildlife Biologist. Prior to coming onboard, my research interests centered around avian ecology in the southeastern United States and relationships between birds and human-altered landscapes. I have also had a lifelong interest in amphibians and reptiles, particularly anurans (frogs, toads, and treefrogs). My specialties include auditory identification of birds and anurans, bioacoustic sampling, and use of geographic information systems to explore biodiversity across park landscapes.

Myra Kincaid, Intern

[e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Anuran and Landbird Community Reporting, Automated Recording Device (ARD) Deployment and Retrieval, Classifying Landbird Calls and Data Entry

Active Projects:

Anuran and Landbird Reporting

Education and Areas of Expertise:

BS, Biology, University of North Georgia
(In progress) MS, Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia

Myra has worked as a field technician for both the New York Breeding Bird Atlas III and the North Carolina Breeding Bird Atlas. At the University of North Georgia, she conducted a point-count project to map the bird population on campus. Myra grew up in North Georgia and is a long-time outdoor enthusiast whose interests include hiking, backpacking, foraging, canoeing and birding. In 2019 she completed a four and a half month thru-hike of the 2.650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. In 2021, she completed a 16-year section hike of the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail.

Eric Starkey, Aquatic Ecologist

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Aquatic resources monitoring. Protocol lead for estuarine water and sediment quality monitoring.

Active Projects:

Estuarine Water and Sediment Quality Monitoring, Wadeable Stream Habitat Monitoring

Education and Areas of Expertise:

MS, Biology, Fort Hays State University
BS, Biology, Fort Hays State University


I am based out of the SECN headquarters in Athens, Georgia as the lead for estuarine water and sediment quality monitoring and supervise the implementation of wadeable stream channel habitat monitoring. These protocols are implemented in 12 parks across five states. I have been with the Southeast Coast Network since 2016 and was previously the Aquatic Biologist for the Upper Columbia Basin Network. Prior to my work with the National Park Service, I held a variety of research associate positions with the University of Idaho and Kansas Wildlife and Parks. I have a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science Degrees in Biology from Fort Hays State University, where my research and education focused on freshwater mussels and native fishes.

William "Ches" Vervaeke, Coastal Ecologist

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Wetland Elevation, Shoreline Change

Active Projects:

Wetland Elevation, Shoreline Change

Education and Areas of Expertise:

MS, Estuarine Ecology, The University of Southern Mississippi
BS, Marine Biology, The University of Southern Mississippi

I started at USGS Wetlands and Aquatic Research Center (formally The National Wetlands Research Canter) in Lafayette, La., as a contractor in 2003. My role as a research technician and then Ecologist with USGS (2006) took me as far as Panama and Belize using Surface Elevation Tables (SET) to study wetland elevation change in various wetland systems, including salt marshes and mangroves. I became especially interested in elevation change and the ecology of mangrove systems in Louisiana, Texas, and Florida. In 2020-2021, I detailed with the Southeast Coast Network to install SETs in coastal parks. In August 2021 I became the coastal ecologist, reading 45 SETs and surveying over 175 miles of shoreline twice a year. When I am not digging in the mud or on the beach, I like to map mangroves in the parks I cover. I recently found mangroves for the first time in Georgia! I also volunteer for Timucuan Parks Foundation teaching youth fishing clinics and with FWC Mammal rescue/monitoring group near my home in Jacksonville, Florida.

Wendy Wright, Biologist

[phone], [e-mail]

Primary Network Responsibilities:

Data management and IT

Active Projects:

SER Vegetation Database development, Wadeable Stream Habitat database reports, SECN vegetation data publication

Education and Areas of Expertise:

BSES, Environmental Economics and Natural Resource Management – University of Georgia
Certificate, Water Resource Management
MS, Forestry / Hydrology and Environmental Systems – University of Georgia

I started with the Southeast Coast I&M Network in 2012 as a graduate assistant, working as a water quality data technician and report specialist. My graduate research focused on well and groundwater contamination and coastal water quality, and my thesis research topic was estuarine nutrients. After my graduation in 2014, I took on the newly created position as Southeast Regional Managing Editor, supporting report and protocol publication and website development for five I&M networks. In 2016 I started collateral duties as IT specialist, and in 2020, I took over the role as SECN Data Manager. My main responsibilities currently are to provide IT support and manage the network servers and purchase of IT equipment; to construct, manage, and maintain the multiple network databases; and to ensure quality data publication and public availability of data. I also serve on the One General Support System Change Advisory Board (OneGSS CAB) as a regional reviewer of software requests for the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate. My current research interests are coastal and riverine water quality and the effects of climate change on water resources.